L. A. Cnty. Dep't of Children & Family Servs. v. Y.Q. (In re Western)

*411 INTRODUCTION

In 2015, Y.Q. (mother) and Justin W. (father) voluntarily petitioned the probate court to appoint Maria and Kevin S. as the legal guardians of mother and father's daughter, Kayla W. Kayla later became a dependent of the court following an incident of domestic violence between Maria and Kevin. Shortly *412 before the disposition hearing in Kayla's dependency case, mother obtained an order from the probate court terminating the guardianship, a copy of which she provided to the juvenile court at the disposition hearing. The juvenile court told mother that the termination order was not valid because only the juvenile court had jurisdiction to modify or terminate the guardianship while Kayla's dependency case was pending. The court then told mother that she did not have standing to appear in Kayla's dependency case and denied mother's request for appointed counsel. The court told mother to confer with Kayla's legal guardians about arranging visitation with the child and to consult a lawyer to determine how to regain custody of the child. The court then excused mother from the remainder of the disposition hearing, at which the court ordered Kayla placed in Maria's…